Faria's win proud moment for India: Designers

New Delhi, Dec 5 (IANS) Nicole Faria's winning the 'Miss Earth 2010' contest in Vietnam is a proud moment for India and is indicative of its growth in the world of fashion, leding designers said Sunday.

This is the first time an Indian has won the 'Miss Earth' title. Last year, the title went to Brazil's Larissa.

Indian designers say it's an event that made India proud.

'It's a proud moment for India. It's a very good thing that Indians are making a mark and an Indian woman who is both beautiful and intelligent has won such a pageant,' designer Nida Mehmood told IANS.

'India has become more of a cosmopolitan. It is acting like a sponge taking in from the world. If your capacity is more you can endorse more,' she added.

Designer Raghavendra Rathore feels that the development will have a positive impact on the nation's image.

'It certainly adds value to the image of the nation and I hope she (Nicole Faria) takes the message of new India all across the world,' he said.

Parvesh of the designer duo Jai-Parvesh voiced a similar opinion and said: 'I think it's good that an Indian has won the pageant and is getting recognition at such a level, it shows our growth in the world of fashion.'

'Now that India has become an open-market, the world's eyes are on us, so a lot of Indians will win,' he added.

Delhi-based designer Rajvi Mohan too felt Faria's win would be a positive development for India.

'It's a great step forward for India that she has won the pageant,' she said.

However, designer Vijay Arora felt that although it's a good thing that Faria won, the event itself was inconsequential.

'It's very good that she has won but I don't give any importance to beauty pageants. There are more important things happening, people are dying of poverty,' he said.